The 15th Honolulu Festival marked the sixth time for members of the Toba-City Tourist Association to participate in this annual event. We were able to catch up with the chairman of the Toba-City Tourist Association Mr. Kenji Komiyama and ask him a few questions.
Kenji Komiyama
Toba-City Tourist Association :
Interview with Chairman Kenji Komiyama
Can you tell us how you started to participate in the Honolulu Festival?
We found out about the Honolulu Festival through the Federation of Travel Agencies in Toba-City. This is our sixth time to participate. The Honolulu Festival's popularity grows each year and those that participate insist on returning and that is why we keep on coming back. I used to work at a travel agency and visited Hawaii frequently from long ago. It is quite hectic during the Honolulu Festival but you can't beat Hawaii's fresh air and wonderful climate. You can really relax. I think that's what is best about Hawaii.
This is your sixth time at the Festival, is there any particular memorable impression that you can recall?
It isn't one particular impression but each year all thirty members line up in the parade and dance for the city of Toba with all their might. A lot of effort and sweat goes into their performance. That image gets me emotional each year. The citizens of Toba come for this Festival and I am very grateful for that. Thirty members from Toba and fifteen members from Hawaii participated together in the 15th Annual Honolulu Festival.
The dancers at the Grand Parade on March 15th. The result of all the practices was displayed magnificently.
The Ama lady shell divers of Toba-City pass out packets of pearls to the spectators at the parade to promote their port city. The crowds love it!
How do you get your local volunteers?
Since I used to work at a travel agency and have friends in Hawaii from that period, I asked my friend to recruit volunteers to dance with our group. Those who helped us last year as volunteers will be participating in this year's parade with us. Most of them are of Japanese ancestry however last year we had volunteers from other countries. The dance is not difficult to learn so all they need are a few practices. We bring our happi from Toba and have the local volunteers wear them.
Practices are held for "Toba Monogatari" at the hotel. The dancers are in unison since many of the local volunteers participated last year.
The teacher explains about happi and the head decoration to the volunteers. They are all having a great time.
Please explain the song "Toba Monogatari"
Tobamonogatari Song
The dance for "Toba Monogatari" (The Toba Story) came as a result of the desire of all the Toba citizens to dance in the city together. So the citizens got together as a group and composed the song. Actually the lyrics are from a song during Japan's civil war period. It is about the feelings that the wives went through waiting for their husbands at battle. It is customary for all the Toba citizens to dance "Toba Monogatari" during the annual Toba Minato Matsuri (Toba Port Festival) each July.
What sort of international activities are you involved in at home?
Toba is considered an international tourist and cultural city in Japan. Toba is sister city with Santa Barbara, California. Visitors from Santa Barbara come to Toba each year. Representatives from Toba frequent Santa Barbara as well. We dance "Toba Monogatari" and have taiko performances, cultural exchange programs that share the traditions and history of Toba. Hawaii is different from Santa Barbara in that the Japanese culture is already rooted in the community, therefore cultural exchange is transparent and it is easy to share our traditions. We even go to China and Korea to perform "Toba Monogatari."
Pictures of cultural exchange programs in Toba-City
What sort of activities are planned during the Honolulu Festival to promote your city and share cultural exchange?
Our efforts are directed at the Grand Parade. We dance "Toba Monogatari" with the local volunteers and the Toba ladies dressed up as Ama shell divers pass out pearls to the spectators. In Toba these lady shell divers catch abalone and Ise's spiny lobsters. The crowds love the pearls that are passed out. There are many Japanese who live in Hawaii and it seems that many local people understand Japanese culture. I can tell the cultural differences between Hawaii and Santa Barbara. Last year we were on the Japanese radio program 101FM and were interviewed by DJ Ikuko Tomita. We promoted Toba-City as a wonderful tourist destination. We took pictures and hopefully will be able to meet up with Tomita-san to give her copies.
What do you think about Honolulu's tourism efforts?
I think that Honolulu is a great city to promote from a tourist industry perspective. That is because Hawaii has a firm foundation in taking care of their visitors in a natural and gentle way. Currently about 5,000,000 visitors come to Toba annually, of which 2,100,000 visitors stay overnight. About 90,000 visitors come from overseas. Those who visit Hawaii stay an average of four nights where in Toba, visitors stay only one night. We want to increase our repeat visitors just like in Hawaii and broaden our market.
Please tell us about Toba-City's attractions.
Toba is a port city. We are known for our pearl industry. It all began in 1893 when after many years of hard work, Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in culturing a semi-spherical pearl. It was the first pearl ever grown by man. We have in Toba "Mikimoto Pearl Island". The museum is rich in history and you can also see the Ama lady shell divers' performances. The climate in Toba is quite nice throughout the year but I am partial to the spring during the cherry blossom season. The Toba aquarium is popular in the summer. And the food is delicious year round, especially our seafood such as abalone and Ise spiny lobsters. You must come for the annual Toba Minato Matsuri (Toba Port Festival) during the fourth week in July. This is where we all dance "Toba Monogatari" and there is a huge firework display. 【Toba-City Tourist Association】
The Ama dive into the water for pearls.
Such delicious delicacies from the sea.
Sightseeing tour boat from Toba's port.
It was by fate that I volunteered for "Toba Monogatari", and it all started because I happened to attend the Honolulu Festival and received pearls from Toba-City's Ama.
（Suzy, local volunteer ）
Before I became a volunteer I happened to attend the Honolulu Festival Grand Parade. I recall receiving a packet of pearls and found out that they were from Toba-City. It just so happened that my friend invited me to volunteer. I guess it was fate that brought me here. I participated last year and had so much fun. I reminded them that should they need volunteers again to please look me up. I was able to participate once again because the people from Toba came back this year. My daughter will be joining me for the first time. The dance was quite difficult to learn last year but since this is my second time my body seems to have remembered the movements. The movements are flashier than it looks and quite complicated.
I'd like those who left Toba for the city to come back and help develop Toba-City for our future.
（Mrs. Karachi, member from Toba-City）
I work at Todaya Ryokan in Toba-City. Usually I wear a kimono. I greet our guests by saying "irasshaimase" as I open the paper sliding door of the guestroom. I serve tea to our guests. It is customary in Japan to enter the guestroom and make conversation with our guests as well as serve sake at the banquets. It is very different from service customs in Hawaii. Employees from our ryokan rotate coming to the Honolulu Festival. The song "Toba Monogatari" is an upbeat song and is easy to get into. The lyrics are a bit sad though, "The person that I love left me and went to the live in the city. But I hope that they learn a lot in the city and come back to Toba." Karachi-san would like those who left Toba for the city to come back and help develop Toba-City for the future. 【Website of Todaya Ryokan where Karachi-san is employed】
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Toba is a port city. We are known for our pearl industry. It all began in 1893 when after many years of hard work, Kokichi Mikimoto succeeded in culturing a semi-spherical pearl. It was the first pearl ever grown by man. We have in Toba "Mikimoto Pearl Island". The museum is rich in history and you can also see the Ama lady shell divers' performances. The climate in Toba is quite nice throughout the year but I am partial to the spring during the cherry blossom season. The Toba aquarium is popular in the summer. And the food is delicious year round, especially our seafood such as abalone and Ise spiny lobsters. You must come for the annual Toba Minato Matsuri (Toba Port Festival) during the fourth week in July. This is where we all dance "Toba Monogatari" and there is a huge firework display. 
Before I became a volunteer I happened to attend the Honolulu Festival Grand Parade. I recall receiving a packet of pearls and found out that they were from Toba-City. It just so happened that my friend invited me to volunteer. I guess it was fate that brought me here. I participated last year and had so much fun. I reminded them that should they need volunteers again to please look me up. I was able to participate once again because the people from Toba came back this year. My daughter will be joining me for the first time. The dance was quite difficult to learn last year but since this is my second time my body seems to have remembered the movements. The movements are flashier than it looks and quite complicated.
I work at Todaya Ryokan in Toba-City. Usually I wear a kimono. I greet our guests by saying "irasshaimase" as I open the paper sliding door of the guestroom. I serve tea to our guests. It is customary in Japan to enter the guestroom and make conversation with our guests as well as serve sake at the banquets. It is very different from service customs in Hawaii. Employees from our ryokan rotate coming to the Honolulu Festival. The song "Toba Monogatari" is an upbeat song and is easy to get into. The lyrics are a bit sad though, "The person that I love left me and went to the live in the city. But I hope that they learn a lot in the city and come back to Toba." Karachi-san would like those who left Toba for the city to come back and help develop Toba-City for the future. 
